Land Vehicle Location (e.g., Bus, Police Car Patents (Class 342/457)
  • Patent number: 7663540
    Abstract: A calculation server estimates a position of a mobile terminal that communicates with a base station incorporated with received global positioning system satellite signals. The calculation server includes a positioning information analyzer configured to select one of the positioning modes to be used out of a cell/sector positioning mode and a hybrid positioning mode on the basis of a distance between a cellular base station and the mobile terminal, and a position detector configured to calculate the position of the mobile terminal in the positioning mode selected by the positioning information analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oda, Jiyun Shen, Takefumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7653349
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively transmitting an uplink signal comprising information from a ground station to a satellite is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving a transmitted downlink signal at a ground station from the satellite; measuring the quality of the transmitted signal; computing a prediction of a degradation of the uplink signal using the quality of the received signal, and transmitting the uplink signal according to the predicted degradation of the uplink signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Harish N. Patel
  • Patent number: 7652621
    Abstract: A method for selecting radionavigation beacons using an onboard navigation system aboard an aircraft from a list of eligible beacons, includes a step for formulating a criterion for selecting a pair of beacons (BX, BY) from among beacons forming part of a list of eligible beacons, and the selection criterion is based on a search for a maximum duration of membership, for instants subsequent to the instant t1, for which the 2D terrestrial position of the aircraft belongs to the zones of employment of all the pairs of beacons achievable from among the eligible beacons, on the basis of a given predictive trajectory of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventor: Gregoire Jacotot
  • Patent number: 7653400
    Abstract: A probabilistic prediction is made of the location of a wireless-enabled mobile station in a wireless local area network. The prediction includes calculating a vector representing movement of the mobile station through a space in which two or more access points of the network are located, and determining a region surrounding the vector in which the mobile station has at least a given probability to be located within a certain period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Ian Robertson, Tom Nagy
  • Patent number: 7652627
    Abstract: A system for providing position information by using a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and a method of acquiring the position information of a mobile device thereof where the system includes: a first node including referenced position information; and a plurality of second nodes calculating their respective position information based on the reference position information of the first node, wherein the mobile device calculates its position information by using the reference position information received from the first node and/or one or more of the respective position information of the second nodes. According to the system and method, at an indoor place where a global positioning system (GPS) signal is weak or absent, the GPS position information can be acquired through the position information providing system using a low-price wireless LAN communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyong-uk Choi
  • Patent number: 7647174
    Abstract: A navigation system with a function of one-touch map matching correction, and a method thereof. The navigation system includes a GPS module for receiving each position signal, and measuring self position and driving direction; a map database for storing map data; a storage unit for storing a candidate designation index, road information, a guidance stop flag, a flag activating a map-matching correction button, and voice data for road sequence guidance; a display unit for displaying the map data, activating or deactivating the map-matching correction button, and generating a coordinate value of a position; and a controller for indexing the parallel roads, generating a candidate road array, activating the map-matching correction button, and sequentially selecting candidate roads while performing the map matching correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hyundai Autonet Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Pil Su Kwon
  • Publication number: 20090315777
    Abstract: A system includes first and second transmitters attachable to first and second vehicles. The transmitters can each transmit successive signals at predetermined time intervals. Tracking stations at different locations are configured to receive the signals transmitted by at least one of the first and second transmitters, distinguish signals transmitted by the first transmitter from signals transmitted by the second transmitter, and determine from the transmitted signals respective position information for at least one of the first and second transmitters. Each of the tracking stations is further configured to be in signal communication with at least one other of the tracking stations. The system further includes at least one processing device in signal communication with at least one of the tracking stations. The processing device is configured to determine from the position information a location of the first vehicle relative to a location of the second vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: David C. Baughman
  • Patent number: 7636061
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the position of people and/or objects, whether mobile or stationary, is presented herein. The system uses fixed and/or portable FM transmitters to transmit synchronized signals. These signals are acquired by a Receiver device which uses the signal timing to perform Time Difference of Arrival calculations to determine the Receiver's location. Then, using some arbitrary communications method, such as wireless communications, the Receiver device can forward its location to some arbitrary type of application system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Inventors: Alan Thomas, David Thomas Jewett
  • Patent number: 7626969
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes computing a probability surface corresponding to the location probability of the wireless node within a physical region based on the received signal strength data associated with a wireless node and an RF model of the physical region; computing, based on the probability surface, an aggregate probability (Pin) of the wireless node being inside a perimeter defined with the physical region; computing, based on the probability surface, an aggregate probability (Pout) of the wireless node being outside the perimeter; computing a probability ratio of the aggregate probabilities Pin to Pout; and determining whether the wireless node is inside or outside the perimeter based on a comparison of Pout and Pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Donald Hart, Bretton Lee Douglas
  • Patent number: 7616157
    Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing enhanced device location procedures to determine the current physical location of a mobile device includes a plurality of satellites that wirelessly transmit satellite beacon signals, a plurality of base stations that wirelessly transmit pilot signals, and a plurality of access points that wirelessly transmit access-point beacon signals. A location detector of the mobile device coordinates a device location procedure by measuring the satellite beacon signals, the pilot signals, and the access-point beacon signals to generate corresponding satellite information, base station information, and access point information. The location detector analyzes the satellite information, the base station information, and the access point information to select an optimal system configuration from the most effective satellites, base stations, and access points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yi Zhou
  • Patent number: 7612663
    Abstract: A power saving device for a GPS device is to utilize acceleration of gravity sensor to continue detecting the acceleration variation of the GPS device; if an acceleration value is larger than a threshold value, a GPS signal receiver is then started; if the acceleration value is smaller than the threshold value, the GPS signal receiver is then shut. This allows the GPS device to be power saving and not need to facilitate an extra oscillation switch therein to save the production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kinpo Electrnics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-I Sun
  • Patent number: 7602334
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of a mobile subscriber (MS) estimating position are disclosed. One method includes the MS receiving at least one satellite transmitted signal with a first receiver, and estimating a time of arrival of the at least one satellite transmitted signal. The MS additionally receives at least one terrestrial base station signal with a second receiver, and estimates a time of arrival of the at least one terrestrial base station signal. The MS estimates its position based on the estimated time of arrival of the at least one satellite transmitted signal and the estimated time of arrival of the at least one terrestrial base station signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: BECEEM Communications Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Lorenz
  • Patent number: 7598866
    Abstract: An electronic service providing system according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a cell phone; a server device for providing an electronic service; and a wireless tag providing unit for providing necessary information for receiving an electronic service like an ID or password with the information stored in the RFID wireless tag. The wireless tag providing unit sends a request for an electronic service to the server device and receives necessary information. The necessary information is written to the wireless tag. The server device 4 transmits necessary information to the wireless tag providing unit in response to the request. The cell phone reads necessary information from the wireless tag of the wireless tag providing unit, and an electronic service such as contents data is received from the server device based on the necessary information. Hence, it is possible to receive an electronic service from anywhere irrespective of place and service type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yugo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7595750
    Abstract: A receiver (R) for use in a user mobile terminal (U) in a satellite positioning system having a constellation of satellites (S) in which the receiver (R) acquires data from a satellite related to the position of the mobile terminal (U). A MEMS device (M) is incorporated in the receiver (R) and is adapted for detecting the absolute value ({circumflex over (V)}u) of the speed of the mobile terminal (U) and subsequently providing said value to the receiver (U). Means are provided for computing, by or for the receiver (R), the value corresponding to the vector components (Vux, Vuy, Vuz) of the speed of the mobile terminal which in turn make possible the Doppler effect related to the users speed is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Michel Monnerat, Bruno Lobert
  • Patent number: 7595754
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are presented for integrated wireless device location determination. A method for determining location on a wireless device includes receiving a request for wireless device location and receiving a plurality of wireless network messages. Each message is transmitted from a wireless network edge device associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks. Further included is obtaining location measurement information from the received wireless network messages and obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages. The method further includes determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information, determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location, validating and storing the integrated wireless device location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Chand Mehta
  • Patent number: 7592956
    Abstract: A location determining system for a wireless transmitter is carried by a platform movable relative to the wireless transmitter. The location determining system may include an antenna, and a receiver coupled to the antenna. The location determining system may also include a location determining processor coupled to the receiver to collect, during movement relative to the wireless transmitter, a series of range measurements and a corresponding series of received signal measurements, and to estimate a location of the wireless transmitter based upon the range measurements weighted using the received signal measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney Keith McPherson, David James Lanza
  • Publication number: 20090207079
    Abstract: A radar sensor receives a radar wave signal through a radome in each of antennas while judging existence of an attenuating thing in a detecting unit. This unit extracts a maximum level channel from receiving channels assigned to the antennas every modulation period, calculates a difference in signal level between the maximum level channel and each receiving channel every modulation period, sets each receiving channel corresponding to large level differences in one measuring period including plural modulation periods as a candidate channel every measuring period, increments a preliminary variable of each candidate channel every measuring period, increases a final variable each time the preliminary variable of at least one receiving channel reaches or exceeds a preliminary value in one measuring period, and judges in response to the final variable reaching a final value that the attenuating thing attenuates the radar wave directed toward the radome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshie Samukawa, Yoshihiro Abe, Atsushi Kawakubo
  • Patent number: 7576695
    Abstract: Multilateration techniques are used to provide accurate aircraft tracking data for aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of an airport. From this data, aircraft noise and operations management may be enhanced. Aircraft noise may be calculated virtually using track data in real-time and provided to a user to determine noise violations. Tracking data may be used to control noise monitoring stations to gate out ambient noise. Aircraft emissions, both on the ground and in the air may be determined using tracking data. This and other data may be displayed in real time or generated in reports, and/or may be displayed on a website for viewing by airport operators and/or members of the public. The system may be readily installed in a compact package using a plurality of receivers and sensor packages located at shared wireless communication towers near an airport, and a central processing station located in or near the airport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Thomas J. Breen
  • Patent number: 7570615
    Abstract: A virtual network is created by providing antennas controlled by the same radio access station with control signals of virtual radio access stations. Sets of physical channels comprising the control signals are dedicated to the respective antennas, while sets of physical channels comprising only traffic channels constitute common resources for more than one antenna. One example embodiment is applied in antenna systems utilizing common antenna cables, whereby the radio access station is provided as a distributor having a central broadcast control signal injector and control signal selectors at the antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Johan Bolin, Ari Kangas
  • Patent number: 7561104
    Abstract: A method of modifying calibration data used to geo-locate a mobile station located in an indoor environment is disclosed. When a mobile station is located indoors, the signal strength of signals received and/or transmitted by the mobile station have the tendency to be lower than the strength of the signals received by a mobile station located outdoors. As a result of these lower signal strengths, geo-location efforts which rely on signal strengths may result in unsatisfactory location accuracy. Modifying pre-existing calibration data obtained outdoors may provide a way to simulate indoor calibration data characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Andrew LLC
    Inventors: Martin Alles, John Carlson, George Maher, Selcuk Mazlum
  • Patent number: 7557754
    Abstract: Groupings of receivers for determining a target location by a multilateration system are selected to give the best geometric dilution of precision result by eliminating the receiver that makes the greatest contribution to such dilution. In this way the groups to be used may be selected as appropriate for the location of the target in real time, avoiding the requirement to have a database holding the groupings to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Roke Manor Research Limited
    Inventor: David Wynne Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090171528
    Abstract: The present system for recording vehicle-related data does not involve an elaborate installation procedure and thus may be routinely transferred from one vehicle to the next. The system has a recording module and at least on sensor module. The recording module has a wireless receiver, a processor, a vehicle interface assembly, and a data processor interface. The vehicle interface assembly enables the recording module to detachably connect to the vehicle. The sensor modules have a sensor, a processing subsystem, and a wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter of a sensor module communicates with the wireless receiver of the recording module. Also disclosed is a method of recording vehicle related data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SanDisk IL Ltd.
    Inventors: ITTAI GOLDE, JUDAH GAMLIEL HAHN, SASI LEVI, STEVEN THEODORE SPROUSE, SHAHAR BEN-DAVID
  • Patent number: 7545261
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a vehicular collision alert system (100) which receives signals (104) from devices (102) commonly associated with vehicular use. The direction (308) of the received signals is determined, and a heading of the signal source is also determined (610) and compared with the present location and heading of the vehicle (612). If the comparison indicates a sufficient chance of a collision, and alert is generated (616) to notify the driver of the vehicle of the potential collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan J Harrington
  • Patent number: 7538724
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing relative tracking for a user in an unprepared environment, e.g., in the field. A larger mobile unit, such as a truck, is tracked precisely in world coordinates using GPS and/or other tracking technology. A smaller mobile object or unit is then tracked with respect to the larger mobile unit. The tracking information of the smaller mobile object or unit is then combined with the tracking of the larger mobile unit such that the tracking of the smaller mobile object or unit can be provided in world coordinates. The relative tracking methodology has particular utility in the field of augmented reality where precise tracking in an unprepared environment may be desirable, but where a smaller mobile object may not be able to be tracked directly and precisely in world coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Yohan Baillot
  • Patent number: 7536169
    Abstract: Extending the activation and tracking capability of stolen vehicle recovery dedicated radio-frequency networks by the supplementary use of widely geographically provided cellular telephone-frequency band networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Lojack Operating Company LP
    Inventor: William Duvall
  • Patent number: 7532160
    Abstract: In a local positioning system, a receiver is adapted for receiving signals from a land-based transmitter. The receiver includes an analog decorrelator for decorrelating the transmitted spread spectrum signals. A down converter connected with an antenna may be spaced away from other portions of the receiver. The down converter down converts received ranging signals and provides them to the remotely spaced receiver portions. A signal line connecting the down converter to the receiver may be operable to transmit any two or more of a reference signal provided to the down converter, the down converted intermediate frequency signals provided to the receiver, and power provided to the down converter. The receiver may be positioned adjacent to or as part of a land-based transmitter. By determining positions of two or more antennas, the location of the associated transmitter is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Novariant, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt R. Zimmerman, Frank N. Bauregger
  • Patent number: 7525484
    Abstract: A location system is disclosed for commercial wireless telecommunication infrastructures. The system is an end-to-end solution having one or more location centers for outputting requested locations of commercially available handsets or mobile stations (MS) based on, e.g., CDMA, AMPS, NAMPS or TDMA communication standards, for processing both local MS location requests and more global MS location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location centers. The system uses a plurality of MS locating technologies including those based on: (1) two-way TOA and TDOA; (2) pattern recognition; (3) distributed antenna provisioning; and (4) supplemental information from various types of very low cost non-infrastructure base stations for communicating via a typical commercial wireless base station infrastructure or a public telephone switching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: TracBeam LLC
    Inventors: Dennis J. Dupray, Charles L. Karr
  • Publication number: 20090102721
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for locating an asset in a facility. An example of an asset is a vehicle and an example of a facility is a parking facility. When the user enters the facility with the asset, the user receives a base and code from a base/code booth. The code may be stored on a removable card. The user secures the asset by entering the code. While the user is away from the facility, the present invention monitors the base for movement detected by the motion sensor. When the user returns to the facility, a locator panel displays the location of the asset. The present invention determines the location of the asset by triangulation using the locators. The user then returns to the asset, deactivates the motion sensor, returns the base and code to a base/code booth, pays for the storage services, and exits the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, Randolph Michael Forlenza, John Paul Kaemmerer, Raghuraman Kalyanaraman
  • Patent number: 7519472
    Abstract: Aggregated navigation system data can be used by an artifact repository to infer the presence of a static traffic artifact. Static traffic artifact can include traffic lights, traffic signs, special traffic zones, railroad crossings, and the like. Metric data collected from multiple global positioning systems (GPS) devices can provide sampling data for inferring a static traffic artifact on a road. Metrics can include driving behavior, travel direction, velocity, timestamps, delay, and the like. For example, if thirty percent of the data collected about an intersection indicates drivers come to a stop at an intersection, the system can infer a traffic light exists at the intersection. Each traffic artifact can have an associated confidence factor which can indicate the degree of accuracy of the inferred artifact. Confidence factor can be increased or decreased based on the re-evaluation of sample data for the artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis M. Grigsby, Steven M. Miller, Daniel E. Morris, Lisa A. Seacat
  • Patent number: 7509217
    Abstract: A vehicle detector includes a detecting apparatus and a determining apparatus. If a plurality of detection points detected by the detecting apparatus forms a group of detection points, the determining apparatus sets a determining virtual window encompassing the group of detection points and determines whether the group of detection points is likely to represent the one vehicle based on a state of movement of the group of detection points with respect to the determining virtual window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenjiro Endoh
  • Patent number: 7492251
    Abstract: A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), supporting two operation modes local monitoring and remote monitoring. The apparatus includes a PLB that supports the present operation mode, as well as a local monitoring mode, employing the same transmitter, and automatically switching between modes. Upon activation, the PLB first tries to communicate with a local monitoring station, at a low transmission power, and at a high repetition rate, in purpose of dealing with the PLB call locally, without involving the remote monitoring station. Then, if not acknowledged by a local monitoring station, the PLB increases its transmission power, enabling access to a remote monitoring station. In a preferred embodiment, the PLB is carried by a person onboard a vessel, to alarm upon a Man Overboard (MOB) accident, the local monitoring station is installed onboard the same vessel, and the remote monitoring station is part of a satellite Search and Rescue (SAR) system, as Cospas-Sarsat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Daniel A. Katz
  • Patent number: 7479891
    Abstract: A rescue and safety device for swimming-pools and amusement parks, consisting of a wristband containing a cardiac-arrest detector, a panic button, a location device and, optionally, a water detector, triggered by immersion syncope, cardiac arrest or an accident; a rescue device, especially if an inflatable grid has been installed on the bottom of the pool, that can uplift any person in difficulties from the bottom of the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Inventor: Claire-Lise Boujon
  • Patent number: 7479897
    Abstract: In a method for preventing rollover for a vehicle traveling on a road, for each present position of the vehicle as it moves forward, its speed is forecasted for future positions of the vehicle on the road, based on an assumption regarding driving style of the operator, and based on a map containing road geometry data and statistical speed data for vehicles traveling said road. At each such present position of the vehicle, a maximum safe speed is determined for points on the road forward of the vehicle, based on a maximum lateral acceleration, the road geometry and the vehicle parameters. A rollover warning is generated for any current position of the vehicle at which the forecasted future speed for at least one particular point on the road forward of the vehicle exceeds the determined maximum safe speed at particular point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jamie Gertsch, Andrew S. McLandress, Seth Olds Rogers, Stefan Schroedl, Vikas Taliwal, Christopher Kenneth Hoover Wilson
  • Patent number: 7471244
    Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods comprises a reference clock; a receiver to receive a wireless television signal, wherein the wireless television signal is transmitted by a television transmitter according to a transmitter clock; and a clock offset unit to determine a clock offset between the reference clock and the transmitter clock based on the wireless television signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Rosum Corporation
    Inventors: Jim Omura, Matthew Rabinowitz, James J. Spilker, Jr., Ju-Yong Do, Andy Lee
  • Patent number: 7444227
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system is provided to facilitate meeting our people in nearby or neighboring cars with similar interests, desires or wants. The vehicle communication system has a host vehicle two way communication device, a host vehicle personal data storage component and a host vehicle personal data matching component. The host vehicle two way communication device conducts direct short range communications in a host vehicle broadcast area surrounding a host vehicle. The host vehicle personal data storage component broadcasts at least some of a host vehicle user's personal data and receives nearby user's desired profile requirement via the host vehicle two way communication device. The host vehicle personal data matching component compares host vehicle user's desired profile requirement that is based on the host vehicle user's personal data with the nearby user's desired profile requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Tengler, Ronald Heft
  • Publication number: 20080246654
    Abstract: A device is provided, which uses a positioning system, to determine a first geographic location, while the device is located at the first geographic location. Information concerning the first geographic location may be stored in a computer memory. The device may be moved from the first geographic location to a second geographic location which is substantially different from the first geographic location. The device may be used to determine the second geographic location, while the device is located at the second geographic location. Information concerning the second geographic location may be stored in a computer memory. Directions from the second geographic location to the first geographic location may be provided by the device to a user. The directions may be displayed on a computer monitor or provided orally by use of a voice system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Ming Cheng
  • Patent number: 7433696
    Abstract: A wireless node location mechanism that defines a search region to optimize the computations associated with estimating the location of a given wireless node. According to one implementation, a coverage map associated with each radio receiver that records signal strength data is defined out to a threshold signal strength level. Before computing the estimated location of a given wireless nodes, a search region is defined based on the intersection of the coverage maps associated with each radio receiver that detects the wireless node. Some implementations use information provided by the fact that certain radio receivers did not detect the wireless node to further optimize the location estimate. By defining a search region, which is a generally small area relative to the space encompassed by an entire RF environment, the present invention provides several advantages, such as reducing the processing time and/or power to compute estimated locations for wireless nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Dietrich, Gregg Scott Davi, Robert J. Friday
  • Patent number: 7428417
    Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a plurality of network clients (150) including a positioning controller (504) and a communications controller (502); and a positioning server (152) including a coordinating controller (161) for maintaining a database of network clients to be tracked and provide updates of position-related information to a presence server (104); wherein an associated network client is configured to transmit position information received via said positioning controller (504) to said positioning server (152) via said communications controller (502) when said associated network client is determined to be outside a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rami Caspi, William J. Beyda
  • Patent number: 7423538
    Abstract: A child alert system that uses radio transmitters and receivers to provide the location of a child, adult or object to which a transmitter unit of the system is attached. The transmitter unit includes a panic button for allowing the wearer of the transmitter unit to send a panic signal when they feel endangered. The system further includes signaling when the transmitter is submerged, when the vital signs of the wearer fall below a certain threshold, or when the transmitter is tampered or removed from the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Thomas A. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 7418339
    Abstract: A method is provided for improved navigation guidance in a portable navigation device (104) having a first navigation operating mode (302) for requesting (318, 324) and receiving (326, 334) routelet data and navigation route data and operating in accordance with the routelet data (332) and a second operation navigation mode (304) for operating in accordance with the navigation route data (338). The method includes in the first navigation operating mode (302), the steps of transmitting a routelet request (318) comprising location data, speed data and direction data, the location, speed and direction data determined (312, 314 316) in response to a present location, a present speed and a present direction of travel, respectively, of the portable navigation device (104), receiving routelet data (326) and operating in accordance with the received routelet data (332).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Kungwel Mike Liu, Parvathy Bhaskaran, Richard M. Clayton, Garurank P. Saxena, Juan C. Uribe, Bernhard P. Weisshaar
  • Patent number: 7408502
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to utilizing monitoring devices for determining the effectiveness of various types of business locations, such as media display locations for an intended purpose (media display exposure). The monitoring devices are distributed to a number of study respondents. The monitoring devices track the movements of the respondents. While various technologies may be used to track the movements of the respondents, at least some of the location tracking of the monitoring device utilizes a satellite location system such as the global positioning system (“GPS”). These movements of the respondent and monitoring device at some point coincide with exposure to a number of business locations, such as media display locations. Geo data (movement data) collected by the monitoring devices is downloaded to a download server, for determining which potential business locations the respondent was exposed to. The exposure determinations are made by a post-processing server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: RDPA, LLC
    Inventors: Roger D. Percy, Kay S. Burke, James W. Baker, R. Cameron Percy
  • Patent number: 7408509
    Abstract: A Direction Finding Method and System Using Probabilistic Mapping is disclosed. Also disclosed is a preferred system that employs a technique for taking in data sets (lines of bearing) from DF receivers and characterizing those signals with their respective probabilities of error. Then using a unique method, the preferred system can display the triangulated position on a map with an overlay of probability fields indicating the emitter location with varying levels of confidence. Even further, the preferred system is able to redraw the probability fields on the map display in real-time as new data is collected and updated. In this way, a far more efficient EL System has been achieved in which the emitter's position can be determined more quickly. It should be noted that with this invention, triangulation can be done with just a single (mobile) DF Set in the EL System. Today's systems for triangulation must use at least three DF Sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Lars Karlsson, Dmitri Soloviev
  • Patent number: 7409187
    Abstract: A communication base station has: base station position information storing means; signal electric wave for communication with sending time information generating means; satellite time information generating means; time difference information generating means for generating the time difference information indicating a time difference between the sending time and the satellite time at the sending time; signal electric wave for communication sending means; and base station information sending means for sending the base station position information and the time difference information; and a terminal device has: terminal side satellite time information generating means; base station information acquisition means; above satellite number decision means; satellite signal positioning means; signal electric wave for communication receiving means; receiving time information generating means; signal electric wave for communication positioning means; combined positioning means, and positioning means, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7392015
    Abstract: Calibration methods and structures are provided for wireless communications devices that compensate across a signal bandwidth for relative gain and phase errors between spatial communication channels while utilizing existing transceiver structures and facilitating the use of frequency-domain spatial processing. The methods and structures are directed to time-division duplex (TDD) systems, and are particularly suited to those that incorporate orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: CalAmp Corp.
    Inventors: Charles S. Farlow, Donald M. Bosch, Randall A. Kroenke, Steven J. Loughran
  • Patent number: 7383043
    Abstract: A system and a method for tracking a location of a private wireless network subscriber can precisely track and find out a location of a subscriber even within a service zone of a base station and can realize this precise tracking in a simple fashion. In a private wireless network having a plurality of repeaters dispersedly installed in sector zones of a private Base Transceiver Station (pBTS), the subscriber location tracking system of the present invention includes a private Base Station Controller (pBSC) connected to the pBTS and a Local Area Network (LAN) and having a Visitor Location Register (VLR), a server connected to the LAN, and at least one client connected to the LAN. The pBSC stores location information in the VLR when a mobile station executes location registration, and confirms a location and state of a mobile station by dummy paging and updates its location information stored in the VLR when the relevant mobile station keeps up an idle state during a certain period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: June-Seo Lee
  • Patent number: 7383050
    Abstract: In a communication system, a method for providing a location service with geographical location information associated with a user equipment capable of communicating with the communication system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: storing connection information identifying a connection of the user equipment in the communication system; and determining whether the user equipment is currently connected in the network. Wherein, responsive to the user equipment not currently being connected in the network, the location of the user equipment is determined in dependence on the last stored connection information for the user equipment. The method also includes the step of translating the connection information into geographical coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Kall, Tomi Varonen
  • Patent number: 7366522
    Abstract: Techniques for location tracking, location utilization, and dissemination and management of location information are disclosed. As a location monitoring system, one embodiment includes at least a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, and a web server coupled to a wired network (e.g., the Internet) that couples to the wireless network. Each of the mobile computing devices are associated with and proximate to an object whose location is being monitored. The web server stores the locations of each of the mobile computing devices or the objects proximate thereto, and enables only authorized users to obtain access the locations via the wired network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: C. Douglass Thomas
  • Patent number: 7358894
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises a base station for wireless transmission of locating support information to support locating, supported on a locating satellite, as well as a key for the vehicle, in which the key includes a locating module to determine the position of the key as a function of a signal of at least one locating satellite and locating support information sent from the vehicle. A locating system and a method for determination of the position of a mobile device separable from the vehicle, comprise that the locating system includes a base station arranged in the vehicle for wireless transmission of locating support information and a locating module arranged in the mobile device to determine the position of the mobile device as a function of a signal of at least one locating satellite and the locating support information. The mobile device, for example, can be a key for a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Arne Stoschek, Rizwan Ahmed
  • Patent number: RE40642
    Abstract: Location of an object to be tracked is determined by measuring, at a receiver situated at the object, the propagation time differences between the signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, each of which is received by the receiver situated at the object. The measured propagation time difference values are transmitted to a central station where the location of the object to be tracked is calculated based upon the propagation time differences of the signals transmitted from the satellites and data derived from a receiver apart from the object but also receiving signals from the satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel David Harrison, Anatha Krishnan Pradeep, Glen William Brooksby, Stephen M. Hladik
  • Patent number: RE40780
    Abstract: A mobile station subscriber can access data from an informational database and have it forwarded to a desired destination. A database associated with the informational database maintains subscriber profiles. When the informational database receives a data request, it uses a mobile station identifier to acquire subscriber profile information. Using that profile information, the requested data is forwarded to a destination designated in the profile in a SMS format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Ileana A. Leuca, Adrian Smith